Comparing Islam in the Qur'an with Christianity in the Bible for young people

Islam from the Qur'an

Christianity from the Bible

1. The Word of Allah or of God.

Islam: Allah revealed his word to Mohammad.
Muslims believe Allah revealed his word to a man named Muhammad through an angel. The words were written down in the Muslims’ holy book, the Qur'an. (Surah 2: (ayah) 185; 15:9; 16:101-102; 17:105-106; 69:41-47).

Christianity: God inspired the Bible.
God inspired all the Bible (2 Timothy (chapter) 3: (verse) 16-17) and so it is profitable. Holy men of God spake and wrote as they were moved by God the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21, see also 1 Corinthians 1:37) and so the Bible is reliable. God’s “Word” is also a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, who revealed God to us. (John 1:1–4, 14; 14:9).

2. God the Father.

Islam: Allah is not a Father to People.
Muslims do not believe Allah is a father to human beings (Surah 5:18). The Qur'an does not say that Allah seeks to redeem those lost in sin, or that he loves sinners (Surah 2:195; 2:276; 4:107). For the Muslim there is no sense of relationship with Allah.

Christianity: God is a Father to People.
God, through Christ, created the world (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16) and as such we are God’s offspring (Acts 17:28-29). God also loves the world (John 3:16; 1 John 4:16) and while we were yet sinners sent Jesus Christ into the world to save us from our sins (See Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:14, 19). All who trust in the Lord Jesus for salvation become His children and so He becomes their loving Father (John 1:12-13; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:6).

3. The Son of God.

Islam: Jesus (called Isa) is not the Son of God.
The Qur'an, which is the word of Allah, says that only liars say Allah has a son (Surah 37:152). Many verses in the Qur'an say Jesus is not the son of Allah but is a prophet. (Surah 2:116; 2:136; 4:171, 5:75; 9:30; 18:4-5; 19:30).

Christianity: Jesus is the Son of God.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten (unique) Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (See also Matthew 3:17; Romans 1:4; Hebrews 4:14; 1 John 5:20).

4. Sin and the Human Race.

Islam: Man has no original sin. Sin is by deed only.
Muslims say, "Islam does not teach original sin. Islam teaches that everyone is born pure and it is us who corrupt our selves."

Christianity: Man is born with Original Sin.
Romans c5v12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
Mark c7v21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness (excess with shamelessness), an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”
Some Muslims falsely accuse Christianity by saying that if a baby does not put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour before dying, then that poor baby is condemned to hell. The Bible teaches otherwise. The Bible teaches otherwise in Mark 10:13-14 “Then they brought little children (properly infants) to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children (again infants) come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” As the word for “young children” is “infants” then the Lord Jesus is saying that babies or young children who die before reaching the age of understanding will be in heaven. ”

5. Was Jesus Crucified?

Islam: Jesus was not crucified.“And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the apostle of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa) …” (Surah 4:157).

Christianity: Jesus Christ was Crucified and Died.
John 19:17-18, 33 “And he (Jesus v16) bearing his cross went forth into … Golgotha: Where they crucified him … But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already …” (See also Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 2:2).

6. Is Jesus alive today?

Islam: Jesus did not die but Allah took Him to heaven. “And when Allah said: O Isa, I am going to terminate the period of your stay (on earth) and cause you to ascend unto Me…” (Surah 3:55, see also Surah 4:158).

Christianity: Jesus Christ was raised from the dead , is Alive today and in Heaven.
Acts 4:10 “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, ….” (See also 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Philippians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:21).

7. How do you get to Allah and paradise, or God and heaven?

Islam: By faith in Allah’s message with good works.
Muslims believe after believing the message in the Qur'an that their good works will be weighed on Judgment Day. People who have done enough good deeds will go to paradise. No one knows how many good deeds are “enough” (Surah 2:25, 112; 7:8; 18:110; 23:102-103). This is faith and works.

Christianity: By faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son.
Trying to “be good” is not enough for God and salvation, and no one is “right enough” to deserve to go to heaven. This is because we have all thought, said and done wrong things, which God calls sin, and that will keep us out of heaven and bring God’s judgment on us. (Romans 3:22b-23; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Revelation 21:10, 27, Romans 2:2, 5). Salvation from sin’s judgement is by God’s grace, or undeserved favour, for those who believe in the Lord Jesus as their Saviour from sin and so receive God’s forgiveness. (See Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 2:11; 1Timothy 2:5; Acts 13:38; John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Colossians 1:14).This is faith which works.

8. What will paradise or heaven be like?

Islam: The Gardens of Paradise.
Muslims believe they will delight in many of the same things in the gardens of paradise that many people are happy with on earth. This includes bracelets of gold, silk clothes interwoven with gold, resting on raised couches with flowers. Also drinking from rivers of: water, milk, wine (without getting drunk) and honey, with all fruits and flesh of fowl. There will be good companions and no call to sin but to peace. (Surah 18:31, 107; 39:73; 47:15; 56:11-21).

Christianity: Heaven.
God will establish a new heavens and earth where there is no sin and everything will be right and believers will be welcome (2Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1; Jude v24). There will be no more: death, sorrow, crying or pain as life will be “far better” than on earth (Philippians 1:23; Revelation 21:4). While believers will have bodies made like the Lord Jesus’ glorious body (Philippians 3:21), the Bible emphasises the spiritual and joyful parts of God’s everlasting day (Revelation 21:5). Believers together will forever happily learn from, praise, serve and enjoy friendship with God and the Lord Jesus (1Thessalonians 4:17; Ephesians 2:7; Revelation 5:11-14; 22:3, 5; 19:6-9; 21:1-3).

9. What about future Judgment?

Islam: Allah will judge disbelievers forever.
Muslims believe Allah will judge people and will approve only those who believe the Qur’an and have done enough good works, and the others will suffer loss (Surah 1:1-3; 3:57; 7:8, 9). Allah has cursed the disbelievers and prepared for them Hell fire forever. They are cast, bound in chains, into a constricted place. (Surah 3:131; 25:11-13; 33:64-65; 43:74-77).

Christianity: God will judge unbelievers forever.
God is the judge of the world (Psalm 96:13) and is just (Isaiah 45:21). At death every unbelieving sinner will go into the judgment of hell alone (Hebrews 9:27; Luke 16:19-31). At the final judgment day (Acts 17:31) they will be sadly cast into the lake of fire to suffer God’s judgment forever (Revelation 20:11-15; 2Peter 3:9). However no one needs to go there because Christ has taken the punishment for all our sins on the cross. So whosoever believes in Him will not perish, i.e. go to hell, but have all their sins forgiven and also receive everlasting life (Acts 26:18; John 3:36).